Cultural Cool
Tumbleweeds
Santa Fe Summer Resources and Activities for Families
Summer events at Santa Fe's art museums and other indoor haunts
A dive into a refreshing pool of water, a sip of ice-cold lemonade, not having to wake up early and rush off to school, sweet slices of cool watermelon…. These are wonderful perks of summer, but this year we may be battling sweltering dry heat. Long hot days and restless children are not a good combination, so I ask myself the proverbial question: What’s a parent to do?
With water restrictions all but guaranteed and threats of wildfires in camping areas statewide, I began my quest by surfing the web to find out if we’re really doomed. “It’s Dry and Getting Drier Out West” said a reliable web source. “So far this year, there has been little relief from drought conditions. Unless rains make up for lost time, the area will be missing out on a month or two of water. Unfortunately, significant relief is not in sight for most of the West, according to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center.”<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
With this dismal weather forecast in mind, I looked for ways to beat the heat this summer. I wanted to find local drop-in sites where families can have fun indoors or in shaded areas with little or no planning. Fortunately, Santa Fe has several. Think of these as escape options when the mercury rises.
The answer to our upcoming melt-your-brain summer just might be found on Museum Hill. The Arts Alive program, an annual summer event offering hands-on workshops, is presented this year by three museums: the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art (750 Camino Lejo, 982-2226), Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (708 Camino Lejo, 476-1250) and Museum of International Folk Art (706 Camino Lejo, 476-1200).
Artists and museum educators will teach a variety of art-making activities, free with paid museum admission. All materials will be provided, and everyone will be able to take home a handcrafted object. Adults must accompany children, but the good news is that Mom can also learn to make retablos and other arts instead of sitting quietly on the sidelines. Activities will include Japanese fan-making, early jewelry-making techniques, tinwork and straw appliqué. Each program will be offered one or two times. For the complete schedule, check out the Tumbleweeds summer calendar, or visit www.museumhill.org.
In addition to these special programs, the museums offer wonderful exhibits that kids enjoy. I spent endless hours with my son in the Museum of International Folk Art when he was young, since they have a plethora of exhibits that children (and adults) love. Visit the “Dream on Beds from Asia to Europe” exhibition and feel the beautiful quilting, felt and other textiles. Kids can also design their own dream bed postcard. Or check out the museum’s book and toy lounge for open-ended play.
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture has a wonderful indoor Discovery Center. Recommended for kids from pre-kindergarten to age 12, it offers many hands-on play activities. You and your child can beat the heat in this peaceful, air-conditioned space by reading books, playing with puppets, working with puzzles (some three-dimensional) or building a house from foam blocks. Handouts and coloring pages tie in with the many Native American artifacts on exhibit in the museum and can be taken home for follow-up play. The Discovery Center is open during regular museum hours.
